Bible Study Lessons 13

Lesson 13

Lesson Objectives

1. To read the New Testament with understanding.

2. To understand how the New Testament depicts Jesus as the fulfillment of the covenants of the Old Testament.

3. To appreciate, especially, the importance of God's everlasting covenant with David for understanding the mission of Jesus and the Church as it is presented in the New Testament.

Lesson Outline

I. Review and Overview

a. The New Concealed in the Old

b. Turning to the New Testament

II. The Birth of the Messiah

a. Annunciation and Visitation

b. Nativity and the Temple

III. The Kingdom Is at Hand

a. Baptizing the Beloved Son 

b. Tempting the New Moses

c. Blessings of the Kingdom

d. The Good Shepherd

e. The Keys to the Kingdom

IV. Study Questions For Lesson 13

I. Review and Overview 

a. The New Concealed in the Old

St. Augustine said the New Testament is concealed in the Old and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.

And for the first twelve lessons we've caught glimpses of God's ultimate plan for the human family as we have traced salvation history in the Old Testament - from the creation of the world and the first man, Adam, through successive "covenants" with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David.

At the end of our last lesson, however, salvation history appeared to have hit a dead end, stalling out in a mess of promises apparently not kept, prophecies misunderstood.

To review: God had made an "eternal covenant" with David (see 2 Samuel 23:5), promising that He would raise up a son of David to reign on David's throne forever (see 2 Samuel 7:8-16; 1 Chronicles 17:7-14), and that his kingdom would extend over all nations (see Psalm 2:8; 72:8,11).

He had promised that this son of David would be His own son, the son of God (see Psalm 2:7), that he would build a Temple to God's name and be a priest forever, like Melchizedek, the priest who offered the sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham's victory over his enemies (see Psalm 110:1,4).

But after the reign of David's son, Solomon, everything had fallen apart. The kingdom was divided in two, and the people suffered corruption, invasion and exile.

Even when the people were restored from exile, centuries continued to pass without any sign of the great Davidic king that God had promised. At the time when Jesus was born, there was no kingdom to speak of, no Davidic heir in the wings.

Still, the devout awaited the fulfillment of God's promises, awaiting the consolation of Israel - the coming of the new son of David and the resurrection of his fallen Kingdom (see Luke 1:69; 2:25,38; Mark 11:10; Isaiah 40:1; 52:9; 61:2-3). 

b. Turning to the New Testament

It's important to keep these hopes in mind as we begin reading the New Testament.

In fact, it's difficult to understand the full meaning of the Gospels unless we're on the look out for references and allusions to the peaks of salvation history that we've looked at in our earlier lessons.

If you think that's an exaggeration, turn to the very first sentence of the New Testament:

"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (see Matthew 1:1).

In its first words, the New Testament points us back to creation, to Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament. The word we translate "genealogy" is actually genesis, a word meaning "creation," and of course, the name of the Bible's first book.

We're also referred in this first sentence to God's covenants with David and with Abraham. Remember that Abraham's covenant involved the gift of a son, Isaac, whose descendants were to be the source of blessing for all the earth (see Genesis 22:18).

Finally, Jesus is called "Christ," the Greek word for “Messiah” or "anointed one." This word points us to the covenant with David - the Messiah or Christ was the Davidic figure that many of Israel's prophets said would be sent to deliver Israel and restore the kingdom to Israel.

So in the first sentence of the New Testament we have an allusion to three of the five peaks of salvation history that we have studied in our previous lessons - Adam, Abraham and David.

And in this sentence, so rich in Old Testament allusions, we have a summary of all that the New Testament will tell us about Jesus: The New Testament is the book about the new world created by Jesus, the Messiah, the promised son of David, in whom God fulfills His promise to Abraham - that in his descendants all peoples will be blessed.

II. The Birth of the Messiah

a. Annunciation and Visitation

Salvation history in the Old Testament reached its climax in God's covenant with David. We could say that the hope of Israel at the time Jesus was born centered on God's promises to David.

And we will see as the story of Jesus unfolds in the Gospels that much of the plot and the tension hinges on this question about Him: "Could this perhaps be the son of David?" (see Matthew 12:23; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:44-45).

In all the familiar scenes of Jesus' life, we see the Gospels answering that yes, Jesus is the long awaited son of David, the son of God sent to restore the kingdom to Israel.

This is the message of the Annunciation, the announcement of His birth by the angel. 

Gabriel tells Mary that God will give to Jesus "the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there will be no end" (see Luke 1:32-33).

What is the angel saying? That Jesus is the son of David, that he will rule over a restored kingdom of Israel ("the house of Jacob") for all time.

In Mary's Visitation of her kinswoman, Elizabeth, we again hear echoes of the promises of salvation history.

Mary cries out in song that Jesus' coming is God's answer to all Israel's prayers, a fulfillment of "His promises to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever" (see Luke 1:55).

His Mother wants us to know that as the son of David, her Son will fulfill God's covenant promise to Abraham - that "in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing" (see Genesis 22:18).

This is stated even more forcefully in the song of Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband, when their child, John the Baptist, is born (see Luke 1:67-79).

What's happening, Zechariah prophesies, is nothing less than God visiting and saving His people. He is making good on everything "He promised through the mouth of His holy prophets from of old."

In Jesus, Zechariah declares, God has "raised up a horn of salvation within the house of David...mindful of His holy covenant and of the oath He swore to Abraham." 

b. Nativity and the Temple

The story of Jesus' birth or Nativity is also told in a Davidic key.

Luke tells us that Joseph and Mary went to "the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he [Joseph] was of the house and family of David" (see Luke 2:4). As we saw in our last lesson, it was in Bethlehem that David was born and anointed with oil by Samuel (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13).

Matthew, in his Gospel account of Jesus' birth, also wants us to know that He is the long-awaited "Messiah" and "King of the Jews" (see Matthew 2:2,4). We see this in the answer the chief priests and scribes give to the ruthless Herod (see Matthew 2:5-6). They quote two Old Testament passages (Micah 5:1-2 and 2 Samuel 5:2) to tell Herod that the Messiah was expected from Bethlehem and that he will be a "shepherd" to God's chosen people.

Even one of our most familiar passages from the Gospel - "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call him Emmanuel" (see Matthew 1:3) - refers to a promised son of David.

Matthew is recalling a prophecy of Isaiah who, in the period when the kingdom of Israel was divided, served as a prophet to "the house of David," serving the heirs of the Davidic line (see Isaiah 6-7).

In a time of distress, Isaiah foretold the birth to a virgin of a savior-like king who would be born of David's line and would be called "Emmanuel," a name that literally means "God with us" (see Isaiah 7:13-14).

Many believed that this prophecy had been fulfilled in the birth of King Hezekiah, a great and righteous king (see 2 Kings 18:1-6).

Matthew, however, is telling us that the birth of Hezekiah was only a partial fulfillment of Isaiah's promise. Jesus is the true and ultimate fulfillment.

We hear Isaiah's voice again in the story of Jesus' Presentation in the Temple, especially in the song of Simeon. Simeon sees in Jesus, the "salvation" promised by God.

Notice that the promise Simeon sees fulfilled is not only for the chosen people Israel. It is a salvation that is both "glory for Your people Israel" but also "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" - that is, a beacon for all the peoples of the world.

Simeon is invoking here the "universal" or worldwide promises made about David's kingdom - that the restored kingdom of David would be an international empire stretching to the ends of the earth and embracing all nations and peoples (see Psalm 2:8; 72:8,11). 

In an echo of God's promise to Abraham's descendants, the Scriptures tell us that by the Davidic King and Kingdom "shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed, all the nations" (see Psalm 72:17).

Isn't it interesting that the last two stories we have about Jesus' childhood involve the Temple?

God promised not only that the son of David would be His son, but that this son would build a "house," a Temple to the heavenly Father's name. Of course, that promise was partially fulfilled when David's son, Solomon, built the glorious Temple in Jerusalem.

As the new and true Son of David, Jesus too will build a "temple" to God's name. That temple will be His body and the Church (see John 2:21; Matthew 16:18).

We see this foreshadowed in the story about Mary and Joseph finding Jesus in the Temple. What does Jesus tell them? Like a dutiful son of David, he replies: "Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?" (see Luke 2:49).

III. The Kingdom Is at Hand

a. Baptizing the Beloved Son

The start of Jesus' "public life" is His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

As you read this story, notice the words that are heard from the heavens: "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased" (see Mark 1:11). The words echo the promise that God makes to David's son - that he will be God's son and that he will rule the nations (see Psalm 2:7-9).

Following His baptism, Jesus is driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Here, we see emerge another theme in the Gospel's presentation of Jesus. Jesus as the new Moses, the representative of the new Israel, the new "beloved son" of God (see Exodus 4:22).

This identification of Jesus actually starts early in Matthew's Gospel. If you look closely you will notice a lot of parallels between the early life of Jesus and the early life of Moses.

Herod kills all the Hebrew male children at the time of Jesus' birth. Pharaoh, at the time Moses was born, also had ordered the all Hebrew baby boys to be killed (see Exodus 1:15-16; Matthew 2:16-18).

Moses was rescued by a family member (see Exodus 2:1-10). So is Jesus, carried off by Joseph to - of all places - Egypt, where Moses, the first deliverer of God's people, was also raised (see Matthew 2:13-15; Exodus 2:5-10).

Like Moses, Jesus too is called back to his birthplace after a time of exile (see Matthew 2:20; Exodus 4:19).

Moses liberated the Israelites, leading them on an "exodus" from Egypt. Jesus' Baptism in the New Testament is the beginning of a "new exodus." Like Israel, he is declared God's "beloved Son" and is made to pass through water (compare Matthew 3:17 and Exodus 4:22; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Genesis 22:1).

Israel, after crossing the Red Sea, was driven into the desert to be tested for forty years. Jesus leaves the baptismal waters of the Jordan and is driven into the desert to be tempted and tried by the devil for forty days and nights (compare Matthew 4:1-2and Exodus 15:25; 16:1; see also Deuteronomy 8:2-3; 1 Corinthians 10:1-5).

Is it just coincidence? Not a chance. Let's look carefully at the story of Jesus' tempting in the wilderness (see Luke 4; Matthew 4). 

b.Tempting the New Moses

In the desert, Jesus faces three temptations. Just like Israel. Like Israel, he is first confronted with hunger. He is tempted, as Israel was, to grumble against God (seeExodus 16:1-13).

Next, Satan dares Jesus to put God to the test, to demand that God "prove" His promise to care for Him. Israel underwent the same temptation when the people started fighting with Moses at Massah (see Exodus 17:1-6; Numbers 20:2-13; Psalm 95:79).

Last, Jesus is tempted to worship a false god, which Israel actually did in creating the idol of the golden calf (see Exodus 32).

Jesus answers each temptation with a quote from the Old Testament. But not just any quote. Each time he quotes Moses. And He doesn't quote Moses randomly.

Each of the quotes is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy - from the precise part of the book where Moses is explaining the lessons Israel was supposed to learn from its years in the desert (compare Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:7 and Deuteronomy 6:16; and Matthew 4:10 and Deuteronomy 6:12-15). 

c. Blessings of the Kingdom

Jesus, then, is the son of David and the son of God, the Messiah long anticipated by the faithful of Israel.

He comes to His people as a liberator and savior - like the first liberator and savior of Israel, Moses.

Like Moses, Jesus fasts for 40 days and nights alone in the wilderness (see Matthew 4:2; Exodus 34:28).

Like Moses, He ends His fast by climbing a "mount" to give the people the law of God, delivering what we call the "Sermon on the Mount" (see Matthew 5-7; Deuteronomy 5:1-21; Exodus 24:12-18).

The Law given by Moses at Mount Sinai was a Law by which the people were to live in the "promised land." The new law that Jesus gives in His Sermon on the Mount is the law for the new promised land, "the kingdom of heaven" (see Matthew 5:3,10).

Jesus insists that His new law doesn't abolish the old Law of Moses or the teachings of the prophets. Instead, He says, He has come "to fulfill" the Law and the prophets (see Matthew 5:17).

Jesus makes the Law of Moses a law for all mankind, a law for governing the human heart, a law for a Kingdom of God that's bigger than any one nation, a Kingdom that will stretch to the ends of the earth.

The kingdom teaching of Jesus is a "family law" really - a law given by a Father for His children.

The dominant theme in Jesus' great sermon is the Kingdom. But the Kingdom He envisions is far more than a political institution. The Kingdom of God is the Family of God.

That's why in the middle of this sermon, He teaches the people to pray to "our Father" and to ask "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done" (see Matthew 6:9).

The "kingdom of heaven" or the "kingdom of God" was the center of all Jesus' preaching and miracle working. It was the center of what He sent His Apostles out to teach (see Luke 10:9,11).

Jesus gives us many hints that when He says "kingdom" He means the promised Kingdom of David. For instance, He tells the people in His sermon that they will be "salt of the earth" (see Matthew 5:13).

Jesus is here recalling the reminder of Abijah - that God's covenant with David was for all time: "Do you not know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingdom of Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant made in salt?" (2 Chronicles 13:5).

Matthew also says the new people of God are to be "the light of the world" and a "city set on a mountain" (see Matthew 5:14).

He is evoking here the prophecies of Isaiah about the restored kingdom, which was to be a "light to the nations" (see Isaiah 42:6; 49:6). 

The spiritual capital of the city, Jerusalem (Zion), the city of David and of the Temple, set on the holy mountain, was to become the seat of wisdom for all nations (see Isaiah 2:2-3; 11:9).

Jesus' preaching of the kingdom is accompanied by miraculous healings - again showing Him to be the expected Messiah.

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak (compare Isaiah 35:4-5; Jeremiah 31:7-9;Mark 7:31-37). He gives eyesight to blind - who call out to Him: "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me" (see Mark 11:47,49). 

d. The Good Shepherd

As David was a shepherd, and as the prophets foretold, Jesus the Messiah came as a good shepherd to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel (see John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20; Matthew 10:6; 15:24; see also Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24).

We see this most clearly in His feeding of the 5,000 (see Mark 6:34-44). The story begins with Jesus pitying the crowd "for they were like sheep without a shepherd" (see Mark 6:34).

Mark wants us to see Jesus as the good shepherd promised by Ezekiel and others.

But as we see past prophecies fulfilled in His miraculous feedings, the Gospel also wants us to look ahead - to the ongoing miracle of the Good Shepherd's care for His flock in the Eucharist.

Notice the precise actions of Jesus when He feeds the multitudes: He takes the bread; He blesses it; He breaks it; and He gives it.

Now flip ahead to the accounts of the Last Supper. What do we see Jesus doing? He takes the bread: He blesses it; He breaks it; and He gives it (Compare Mark 6:41 and14:22; Matthew 14:19 and 26:26; Luke 9:16 and 22:19. See also 1 Corinthians 11:23,26).

The Good Shepherd not only seeks out His lost sheep, but He promises to feed and nourish them, to give them their daily bread.

e. The Keys to the Kingdom

As Solomon appointed 12 officers to administer his kingdom (see 1 Kings 4:7), Jesus appoints His 12 Apostles to positions of leadership in His kingdom (see Matthew 19:28).

He appoints, one, Simon, to a special post, changing his name to Peter. Peter is from the Greek Petros, which means "rock." Jesus tells him, "On this rock I will build my Church" (see Matthew 16:18).

This may be a reference to Solomon, who built the Temple, the house of God, on a large foundation stone (see Isaiah 28:16).

Earlier, Jesus had made another reference to Solomon and the rock - saying that people who live by His new law are like "a wise man who built his house on rock." Solomon was known for his wisdom (see 1 Kings 3:10-12) and built the Temple on a rock (see 1 Kings 5:17; 7:10).

My Church is the name that Jesus gives to the Kingdom He has come to announce.

And Jesus gives Peter supreme authority in His Kingdom, His Church. He gives Peter the "keys to the kingdom of heaven" and the powers to "bind and loose."

The only other place in Scripture where such "keys" are mentioned is in a passage about the Davidic kingdom found in a prophecy from Isaiah (see Isaiah 22:15-24).

There, Isaiah prophesies God's transfer of "the key of the House of David" from a corrupt "master of the palace" named Shebna to a righteous servant, Eliakin. Of Eliakin, the prophet says:

He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the House of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder - when he opens, no one shall shut; when he shuts, no one shall open.

This sounds a lot like what Jesus says to Peter:

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

In the Davidic Kingdom, the king appointed, in effect, a prime minister to handle the day-to-day affairs of the Kingdom. He was called the royal "vizier" or "major-domo," the "superintendent" or "master of the palace." He is considered, as Isaiah said, to be "a father to the inhabitants" of the Kingdom (see 1 Kings 4:1-6; 16:9; 18:3; 2 Kings 15:5;18:18,37; 19:2; Isaiah 22:22).

Jesus appoints Peter to be "prime minister" of the restored Kingdom of David, the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus proclaimed, the Church He called His own.

The "keys" are a symbol of the King's power, authority, and control (see also Revelation 22:16; 3:7; 1:18).

Jesus' reference to "binding" and "loosing" alludes to the authority of rabbis in Jesus' time. The rabbis had the power to make "binding" and "loosing" decisions about the interpretation and enforcement of the Law - they could declare what is permitted and what is not permitted according to the Law. As prime minister of the Kingdom, rock of the Church, Peter is, in effect, the chief rabbi, with ultimate teaching authority.

Study Questions For Lesson 13

1. Explain the four Old Testament references in the first line of the New Testament (see Matthew 1:1). Why do we say that this line could stand as a summary of the entire Gospel?

2. What does Mary mean when she says the Christ Child fulfills God's "promises to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever" (see Luke 1:55)?

3. How does the New Testament present Jesus as the promised Davidic Messiah in (a) His birth and early years; (b) His Baptism; and (c) His public ministry? Provide examples and quotations from Scripture.

4. How does the New Testament present Jesus as a new Moses in (a) His birth and early years; and (b) in His temptation in the wilderness?

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